Review: Mango-J

Chia\Vie’s Mango-J is named for the combination of mango and orange juice, which is a pretty accurate way of describing the primary flavor of this product. It’s made with water, orange juice concentrate, mango puree, apple juice concentrate, ground chia seeds, banana puree, natural flavors, and gellan gum. All of this combines to make something that tastes like a ready to drink smoothie (which is how they label it), with the apple and banana flavors coming in right behind that of the orange and mango. However, the most unique part of this product’s formulation is the ground chia, which adds some grit to the body and an earthy undertone to the flavor. In our opinion, this isn’t as big of a leap as drinking a product with whole chia seeds, although it’s hard to say how consumers will respond in the long run. Regardless, it’s a very familiar and enjoyable tasting product. Packaging, which was previously a 10 oz. aluminum bottle, is now a 12 oz. PET bottle. This seems much more practical for Chia\Vie to produce, while the extra 2 ounces is a nice bonus for anyone who was previously consuming it. And the design of the bottle is attractive and clean, with a good for you vibe. Overall, a very enjoyable and nicely executed product.